Need help with a Newbie workout plan

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Jubbs89
Jubbs89 Posts: 8
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys, I just started and I don't really if ever work out.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/465179-geek-looking-to-get-off-butt (Intro post)

I just need help getting the basic understanding of exercising, i.e what is better treadmill or elliptical, do I jog at medium length or walk at long rates. Do I just do cardio or do a little strength stuff, where do I start with that? Do I find my max bench and work on that, or go much lower and slowly improve. Is it better to work for an hour, or longer or shorter is better?

Also, I do not know when I can work out, so is midday, evening, night exercise ok?

Just some pointers would be great, thanks.

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  • sweattsg
    sweattsg Posts: 8 Member
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    Welcome! If you are new to exercise it is best to start with small steps. You don't want to over do it as you are at risk for injuring yourself. Since you are at college I bet your gym has a some sort of program where a trainer there can get some baseline info and show you around the equipment. For cardio- use the treadmill for an uphill walk or a jog for as long as feels good to you. If you have problems with high impact cardio you can try the elliptical which is much nicer to your knees and feet. You should be getting your heart rate up without feeling so out of breath that you get dizzy. If you only have 20 minutes to work out I say do a nice run and up the intensity. If you have an hour to kill go ahead and do some walking uphill or a slower jog. Bring water and make sure you drink it! If you need extra motivation you could sign up for a 5 or 10k and follow a running training program for that. For weights- I also recommend having a trainer show you the equipment and to help you figure out how many reps and at what weight you should start. If available you could also try a group exercise class that focuses on weight lifting. Don't be intimidated by a group setting- nobody cares what anybody else is doing! If you plan on going 5 times a week I suggest doing cardio on 3 of those days and weights on the other days (with a 5-10 minute treadmill warm up). 5 times a week is a big commitment so don't beat yourself up if you can't do it every week!

    As far as the time of day, many experts suggest that working out in the morning is the most energizing. I prefer to go as early as possible (usually ends up as midday) only because I like enjoy the evenings knowing that I already got my workout in for the day.

    Overall, start easy and build from there. The gym can certainly be overwhelming. Just remember that even a short walk is better than no walk!

    Hope this helps,
    S
  • jsteffen80
    jsteffen80 Posts: 136
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    Good for you for wanting to make some positive changes!

    How you exercise is based on your real goals. If you want to be a runner type, then it wouldn't make sense to focus on strength training, and never hit the treadmill. Likewise, if your goal is to be muscular, very strong, or lean and mean, then wasting several hours a week on cardio isn't really the answer. If you're somewhere in between, or not quite sure what you really want, then a balance of cardio and strength training will probably be good to get you started.

    Your strength training should focus on lifting heavy weights for anywhere from 5 to 12 reps for 2-5 sets per exercise. Lower reps at higher weights tend to build more strength, while higher reps at slightly lower weights leads to more muscle size (you don't really have to worry about any of that yet). You can probably just pick a weight you can hit 8-10 reps, where you struggle a bit on the last rep or two, and you will see improvement. And work all of your body parts. The main power lifts are big, compound lifts. Bench Press, Deadlift, Squat, and Pullups. You can do anything else you want, but those lifts are the most important for full-body strength.

    Your cardio can be whatever you are comfortable with. If you don't like running (I hate it myself) then grab a different machine. Stationary bikes and stepmills are my favorite. The goal of cardio is to get your heart rate up. Depending on how you set up your routine, you'll want to do anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour of cardio on a given day. Don't waste your time trying to do 2 hours on a stationary bike every day... that would be unnecessary torture. Focus on working as hard as you can and getting off the machine exhausted.

    Your daily split doesn't really matter. Some people like to do 30 minutes of weights followed by 30 minutes of cardio every day. Others like to split up their weights and cardio into separate days.

    At this stage, just get in there and do what you're comfortable with. Don't try to be in there for more than an hour at a time, and make every minute count toward something. As you get more acquainted with the gym, keep reading, and learning. Get a solid goal, and figure out how to get there. Soon you'll come up with a strategy that works for you... But right now, getting in there is the most important thing.
  • Jubbs89
    Jubbs89 Posts: 8
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    My plan for later today (got a lot of classes and stuff today) is to get in there and an hour. Is it ok to do like 45 min of cardio where its split between treadmill and elliptical or is all one machine better.
  • sweattsg
    sweattsg Posts: 8 Member
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    Go ahead and mix it up! I staves off boredom!
  • jsteffen80
    jsteffen80 Posts: 136
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    I agree... and mixing it up is a great way to keep motivated. You're less likely to give up on a machine if you have 10 minutes left, than you would be if you had 20 or 30 minutes left. I find it easier to push through the pain with a shorter goal, even if I know another machine is waiting for me.

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